UPPER DARBY -- Some tenants in The Gardens apartment complex in the Stonehurst section finally have heat just as the coldest days of the winter so far have arrived, but leaking steam pipes are keeping temperatures uncomfortably low for others.

The management, Almar Realty, informed residents the new boiler was successfully installed and approved by the township in a letter dated Dec. 28.

"They have both boilers up and running and set at 75 degrees," township health department Assistant Director Matt Verdi said. "The problem now is with the steam pipes underground that distribute the steam heat. The pipes are old and have holes in them and are not pushing the steam to every unit. They announced they would start digging on Jan. 2 to find and repair the pipes."

In the letter to tenants, Almar Realty cited the "massive steam leak underground. The contractor is staging equipment through the holiday and will begin as soon as all equipment is on ground, weather permitting. On Thursday afternoon, crews were working underground to make the repairs."

"This can take up to 10-plus days. Since the leaks are underground, we do not know where and how much damage we are dealing with until the pipe underground is exposed."

The management suggested tenants continue to use space heaters and to notify the office if they don't have one and asked tenants to submit receipts to the office for reimbursement.

Almar apologized for the inconvenience and lack of sufficient heat.

"We are aggressive in getting this resolved as soon as possible," Almar noted.

The residents of the former Villa d'Este, on Radbourne Road, have been waiting for the boilers to be fixed since November.

According to Manager Matthew Fisher, space heaters were provided to tenants who didn't buy their own and tenants will be compensated for the additional electric costs to run the portable heaters during the emergency.

"We gave out space heaters to tenants who couldn't afford to buy them," Fisher said.

Tera Gardner, a tenant for two years, noted she has not had heat since mid-October.

Gardner, 38, and her son, a 13-year-old with asthma, keep warm by turning the gas stove on.

Verdi has been checking on the status almost daily to receive updates on the repairs.

"They have been working on it and have been keeping the township updated," Verdi said. "It's an old system."

That old system has been trouble for residents before, according to one woman.

"It's always been a problem here with the heat," said eight-year resident Evelyn Moore. "It's about the same every year."

She is using her oven and a space heater to help keep her apartment warm, especially once the sun goes down.

"At night, it gets so cold in here," Moore said. "When I wake up, I don't even want to get out of bed."

Another resident, living in The Gardens since 2006, said the heating problems are nothing new this winter, but are worse than the past few years.

"I've seen it before, just maybe not to this extent," said Calvin Jackson. "It feels colder inside the apartment than it is outside."

He has been sleeping with heavy layers of clothing to try and stay warm at night.

With the issues going on, management has been reimbursing for increases in utilities for residents using space heaters and their ovens to maintain comfortable temperatures in their apartments. Some residents, though, are withholding their rent checks until the situation is resolved.

All throughout the complex, fliers advising people to keep their money until the heat is repaired were decorating front doors, mailboxes and stairways.

Many who are able to are fleeing the facility for better living conditions. Thursday afternoon, Adrea Rawlinson left the rental office after giving 60-days notice that she would be leaving the apartment she shares with her 2-year-old son. "It's ridiculous," said Rawlinson, a resident since 2011. "I hope to be out of here by the (end of) February."